Ruths Recompense, Commentary on Ruth · Chapter 4 · Verse 1
Verſe 1. Then Boaz went vp to the gate, and ſate him downe there: and behold, the kinſman of whom Boaz ſpake, came by, vntounto whom he ſaid, Ho, ſuch a one: turne aſide, ſit downe heere. And he turned aſide and ſate downe.
BOaz proſecuteth the matter intended: and here is ſhewed, when, where, how, and with whom hee had to doe about it. Before I come to the words, note generally, that though both Naomi and Ruth had taſted of a poore and low eſtate, yet were they now exalted and greatly comforted, ſo as now no more Marah, but, as before, Naomi: for after humiliation, in time followes exaltation, after ſowre ſweet, and after mourning ioy. Pſal. 126. 5, 6.Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliuereth them out of all. Iſrael may go into bondage in Egypt, but they ſhal returne triumphing. Ioſeph ſhall be tried, before he ſtand before Pharaoh; & Dauid, before he be ſettled in his Throne; and Moſes, before hee bee the Princely Leader of the Iſraelites: and when thus they hauehave taſted of the ſowre, aſsure themſelues they ſhall feele the ſweete with ioy, as both Naomi and Ruth doe heere: for the Lord will at length ſet vp on highIob 5. 11. thoſe that be low, that thoſe which mourne, may be exalted in ſafety. The Lord will humble his, to make them ſee themſelues, to try their louelove, their patience and faith, and to fit them for his bleſſings, that they may know how well to vſe them, before they enioy them; and then will hee afford them their hearts deſire, and make them merry and glad with the ioy of his countenance. Therefore after humiliation look for exaltation: this will worke comfort vnderunder the croſſe, and make vsus patiently awaite the time of our deliuerance.
Then went Boaz.] That is, that morning, not deferring what he had promiſed, Chap. 3. 11, 13. where I ſpoke of the keeping of his word, which here he accompliſhed. See there this truth, that an honest man will bee carefull to keepe his word: which here I will no farther inſiſt vponupon. Note further, that what is done with the heart, is done cheerefully and ſpeedily. Boaz goeth about this without delay; yea ſo did Abraham in a matter of rareGen. 22. obedience, yea he roſe vp betimes earely in the morning to ſacrifice his ſonne: for what the heart is wonne vntounto, there the whole man is ſet on worke; if Sichems heart cleaue to Dinah, he willGen. 34. 3. 19. not deferre the matter, to bee circumcized, that he may enioy the deſire of the heart. By this may we diſcouer whether the heart goe with a buſineſſe; if it be done cheerefully and ſpeedily, the heart is with it; if but ſlowly, and without alacrity, the heart is abſent, as in many which come ſoa Gen. 34. 20. Deut. 17. 5. and 21. 19. and 22. 15, 24. and 25. 7. Prou. 31. 23. Ioſ 20. 4. Iob 29. 7. to the Church, and being come, ſit as dead, without any liuelyneſſe, becauſe their hearts are elſewhere.
VntoUnto the gate.] The Gate was the place of iudgement, as a many places in Scripture ſhew. Now why it was there, theſe may bee the reaſons. Firſt, for eaſie acceſſe of all ſorts, as well ſtrangers as Inhabitants to the place of iuſtice, from which none are to be kept backe. In open places is the more roome. Secondly, for the better manifeſtation of iuſtice in the ſight & hearing of all, which taketh away ſuſpition of iniuſtice. Thirdly, for the preuenting of thronging by the concourſe of of people, not wholeſome, and ſometime dangerous in thoſe hoat countries. Fourthly, that ſuch as paſſed to and fro, might bee called into the buſineſſe, either as witneſſes, or parties ſometime, as it fell out in this Seſſion here with the kinſman comming at vnawares. Fiftly, becauſe the gates be the ſtrength and munition of the Citie: now, there for Magiſtrates to ſit, doth more grace their authority, who ſit there as Commanders in the place, able to command the whole Towne. Sixtly and laſtly, to put all that enter into the City, in mind of well-doing, and to take heed of euill. Theſe bee my coniectures: but whatſoeuer the reaſon was, this may wee learne, that publicke cauſes are for publicke places, and there to bee determined of: for in ſuch caſes theDeut. 21. 19. & 22. 15. & 17. 5. and 25. 7. Gen. 34. 20. Lord commandeth to goe vp to the gate of the Citie; as alſo it was the manner of the Heathen thereabouts, ſo to doe. It befitteth the cauſe, it preuenteth ſuſpition of ſiniſter dealing in priuate; and publicke places doe grace more authority, then priuate meetings. And therefore this courſe is to be approued, and the priuate hearing of publicke buſineſſes, as in criminall cauſes, is againſt the Apoſtles Canon: and hereby great euils fall out; iuſtice is preuerted, and ſinne often vnpuniſhed, the offenders let goe for gaine, who ſhould bee made examples, that other mightDeut. 21. 21. heare and feare.
And ſate him downe there.] Seates were prepared before, for him and the reſt, as the common place of iuſtice: which ſitting downe of him in the publicke place of iuſtice, ſheweth that he was a Iudge and a man of authority, and the beſt alſo in the Aſſembly, becauſe he tooke the firſt place. Note briefely, Firſt, that ſitting is the grauest gesture for Iudges and Magistrates in places of iudgement; ſo euer ſet out, Prou. 31. 23. Mat. 19. 28. Reu. 20. 4. and ſo euer vſed in thoſe parts, and likewiſe with vsus: which therfore is to bee obſerued for the better ſetting forth of their authority, which they ſhould mind to grace by all meanes in the peoples eyes, for more reuerence ſake. Secondly, that God ſo guideth by his prouidence theſe worldly estates, that euer ſome are better men in place and dignitie then other ſome: ſuch a one was Iob, Iob 1. 1. & 29. 7, 8, 9.and ſo Boaz heere, for the preſeruation of peace in Church and Common-wealth: which hand of God wee are to prayſe him for, and to pray vntounto him to vphold this inequality of perſons: for elſe what would follow but diſorder and confuſion, and eueryevery man would doe what hee liſt.Iud. 17. 6. and 18. 1. See this with our ſelues, when men of equality meet, and hauehave light occaſions offered: Oh how doe they ſcornefully behaue themſelues one to another! Thirdly, that men of place according to their dignitie, may take their place, without staine of pride: for Boaz doth it: it is alſo their right, and it preſerueth order, and that dignitie which God hath giuen them. Therefore may they take their place, yet ſo, as they be humble, and not hautilyminded, neither proudly contend for it, and ſo diſturbe publicke peace, which ſhould euer bee moſt deare to eueryevery one, eſpecially to men in authority. If men may take their place, then ſuch are blame-worthy, which with an enuious eye find fault with any for ſo doing: and they alſo doe amiſſe, which out of too great humility (to ſpeake but ſo of it) doe loſe their due place, and there withall ſo much of due reſpect vntounto their perſon and degree, yeelding their place to the leſſe worthy, and ſo lift vp the other in pride, and make themſelues of leſſe eſteeme. But as there be ſome ſuch ſo lowly-minded, ſo are there others too highly-conceited of themſelues, who will take place of their betters, aſſuming to themſelues more then they deſerue: this is pride and hatefull arrogancie.
And behold, the kinſman of whom Boaz ſpake, Chap. 3. 12, 13.came by.] This word of attention, Behold, calleth the Reader to a remarkeable thing, and to an eſpeciall prouidence of God, in bringing this kinſman thus hither; not as yet called, or ſent for. If hee had beene ſent for, or called, and ſo come of purpoſe, it ſeemeth, the Holy Ghoſt would not hauehave ſaid, Behold. This then was the guiding hand of God, to further this match. Whence wee doe learne, that when God will proſper a buſineſse, his prouidence will apparantly bee ſeene in that buſineſse, and in the ſucceſse thereof, as you may ſee before inChap. 2. Boaz his comming into the field, and Ruths lighting vponupon his Reapers; ſo in Abrahams ſeruantGen. 24. guided to Labans houſe, and in Rebecca, her comming out whileſt he prayed ſtanding by the Well, and ſhee performing eueryevery thing according as he had prayed immediatly before. Such a prouidence was ſeene in the Midianites commingGen. 37. by, to goe into Egypt, while Ioſeph lay in the pit that he might be ſold to them, that they might carry him into Egypt, as God had determined; the like prouidence in Moſes preſeruationExod. 2. by Pharaohs daughter, is very apparent: for Gods prouidence is his guiding hand to effect what he hath decreed; hee willeth, and then his prouidence worketh the ſame. Which if wee will obſerue, we may eaſily ſee in our courſes, and ſay, Behold, the prouidence of God, and by wel marking the ſame, we would be moued greatly to praiſe God, wee would not murmure againſt croſſes, wee would commit our wayes vntounto him, and waite on his good pleaſure with patience in all our affaires, knowing this certainely, that if hee hath determined a thing, it ſhall come to paſſe, though in mans reaſon moſt vnlikely.
VntoUnto whom he ſaid, Ho, ſuch a one, &c.] This kinſman was of worth, it appeareth by this, that hee ſate next Boaz, before the ten Elders; that he was able to redeeme land ſo ſoone after ten yeeres dearth; that hee regarded ſo much the marring of his owne inheritance; and laſtly, becauſe he was of the ſame family of Elimelech, and in birth before Boaz, yet by place it may ſeeme that Boaz was his better; though Boaz would not ſtand vponupon his greatneſſe and power with him, but he would proceed in this buſineſſe according to equity and right, reſpecting ſo himſelfe, as yet hee would not wrong another, but doe what was moſt meet to be done; teaching this, that a godly man, a iust man, will not doe what hee may by his power, but what he ought by right. Such aNehem. …. 15. Gen. 14. 2…, 23. one was Nehemiah and Abraham: who would not doe according to that which was in their hand, but what was agreeable to iuſtice, and fit for them to doe: Nehemiah giueth the reaſon, becauſe he feared God. This was it alſo that made Ioſeph ſo to deale with his brethren, and not according to his power and their deſerts. This is it which made Iob not to contemne his ſeruant; for he knew his ſeruant, as well as himſelfe to be the Lords. Oh then let men of power imitate theſe men of might! it will argue that they alſo feareProu. 14 2. God: and vpright and iuſt dealing is more acceptableProu. 21. 3. to God, than ſacrifices. Men muſt not be like Nimrods nor Sauls, to make their luſts a law, and their power the bounds of their practiſe. Remember Iezabel, who tooke by force and fraud1. King. 21. 7. Naboths Vineyard, but ſhee at length dearely paid for the ſame. Note hence againe, that one not before another by birth, may bee his better by authority, as Boaz was heere; ſo Moſes before Aaron; Ioſeph before his brethren, and Dauid before his: for God aduanceth not men as they be in birth, but as his good pleaſure is. And therefore let the Elder ſubmit to the yonger, if God pleaſe to hauehave it ſo; and men deſcended of Nobles, ſubmit to meane men aduanced by God, and that without2. Sam. 2. enuie or diſdayne: for God fetcheth beggers from the dung-hill, to ſet them among Princes: promotion is not from Eaſt or Weſt, but from his hand: therefore muſt wee reſt contented. Thirdly note, that a man according to his authority, may ſpeake to another with authority, though in ſome reſpect the ſame be his better, as the kinſman is here by birth, to whom Boaz yet thus ſpeaketh. But why did hee not name him? Boaz did name, as theſe words (Such a one) doe ſhew: but the Penman of the▪ Spirit paſſeth him by, either as not materiall, or rather for that hee was a worldling, louing land better than Gods Law; deſiring theVerſe 4, 6. one, but not caring to obey the other. Hereby giuing vsus to know, that hee which loueth more the world, and his owne outward estate, than the Law and Word of God, is worthy to hauehave no name in Gods Booke, in the Booke of Life. Therefore take heed and beware of couetouſneſſe; Old Father Latimers Text.
Turne aſide, ſit downe here.] Boaz willeth him to ſet aſide his priuate buſines for this publike work, and to ſit downe to heare the matter: the matter concerned them both, & Boaz doth call him into the Court and place of iudgement about it. Whence note, that it is lawfull vponupon iust cauſe, for one man to call another into publicke places of iustice, to cleare mens rights: fot this cauſe God himſelfe appointed amongſt his people publicke Courts of iuſtice, gaue them Lawes to iudge by, and allowedExod 22. 8. men to take the benefit thereof: and godly men hauehave ſate as Iudges, as Moſes, Dauid andExod. 18 1…. 1. Chro. 18. 14. others for without this, ſome controuerſies cannot bee ended, ſo peruerſe and partiall are many in their owne cauſe. Which confuteth the Anabaptiſts, who allow not of Magiſtrates, and this courſe of iuſtice in ending controuerſies: yet on the other ſide albeit men may ſue one another, it muſt not be for eueryevery trifle; it muſt not be in reuenge, malice, and with deſire to hurt my neighbour: it muſt bee the laſt remedie: and when men goe to Law, they muſt doe it in louelove, vſe the Law as a Iudge and Moderator, and therefore muſt they chuſe the moſt honeſt Lawyers, which will not ſell their tongues, and abuſe their wits for gaine: they are to beware of bribing any, they muſt not vſe circumuentions, but bee content peaceably and louingly to let the equity of the Law decyde the matter, and therein quietly reſt.
And he turned aſide, and ſate downe.] Though this man was one of ſome worth among them, and a worldly man too, yet hee for this publicke buſineſſe, and for to ſhew his obedience to authority, turneth aſide from his priuate affaires, and doth ſit downe, as Boaz did will him. Whence note, Firſt, that when any are called to publicke buſineſses, priuate are to be laid aſide for the time, to further the publicke, as this man doth here, and as all good members of a Common-wealth ſhould do, for that publicke actions, and publicke cauſes ſhould bee more neere and deare to vsus than priuate: for in publicke things there is a reſpect vntounto the priuate, which is more ſafe in the ſafety of that which is publicke. Therefore ſuch as doe neglect wholely publicke wel-fare, and attend onelyonly to the priuate good of their owne eſtate, they doe amiſſe, and euen ſo, as if a member of the body ſhould ſee to it ſelfe, and neglect the body, which is the way at length to bring ruine vponupon it ſelfe, which it ſeekes to preuent. This reproueth ſuch as being able and fit men for publicke buſineſſes, doe labour yet by all meanes to auoid them. As alſo much more ſuch as being called to publicke authority, yea and bound by oath to the ſame, doe neuertheleſſe liue as if no ſuch duety were impoſed vponupon them, and are wholely taken vp with the thoughts of their owne priuate and houſhold affaires. This ſo great neglect of that which is publicke, is no ſmall detriment to to the Common-weale; this great care of eueryevery man for himſelfe and for his owne priuate, and little or rather none for the publicke, is the cauſe of ſo great, and ſo many euils eueryevery where among men. Secondly, that men are to yeeld readily to lawfull authority commanding, whatſoeuer worth they be of, which are ſo commanded. Men muſt bee like the Iſraelites, and do as they ſaid they would doe to Ioſua, euen to obey readily in all things,Ioſ. 1. 16, 17, 18. and ſo to vphold his authority, as alſo they would oppoſe thēſelues againſt ſuch as would not obey. Dauid was very obedient vntounto Saul, albeit hee was anointed himſelfe, hee ſtood not vponupon his right, but waited the Lords time, and was willingly obedient. Thus ſhould wee be to lawfull authority, as the Apoſtle exhorteth, and that byRom 13. 1, 4. Tit. 3. 1. many reaſons, in the Epiſtle to the Romanes, though in thoſe times the Kings and Gouernors were Heathen and bloudy perſecutours. This condemneth thoſe which are like Corah and his Companie; and like Abſalom and his aſſociats in conſpiracie, which are ſo farre from obedience, as they riſe vp in open Rebellion againſt lawfull authority. Such were the counterfeit Catholicks; and ſuch be they euer in heart, though not alway in action, in this our Soueraignes Dominions. This alſo checketh thoſe, which, though they hate treaſon and rebellion, and will not diſobey ſupreme authority, yet will deſpiſe inferiour officers: but they are commanded the contrary, as the Apoſtle Peter teacheth: for not onelyonly1. Pet. 2. 13. the King, as Supreme, but alſo ſuch as be ſent of him, are to bee obeyed of conſcience for the Lords ſake.